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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
& J6 ]% h& g# ]: l: |$ c348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
) X, t( Y" t- t$ [2 Y" F, _ 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
) Q# M7 M' ^/ Z4 b+ o {349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.
$ Y9 Z* ?( T$ _# d- M# l! Z 当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。
$ ~; |5 ~- b* r: U b350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.: {9 ]/ W. N# S
因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
# o5 b/ j3 N& b1 j351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match., H1 _" ~/ g' B9 q4 u
不过,拳击是十分野蛮的,因为当时没有任何比赛规则,职业拳击手有可能在比赛中受重伤,甚至丧命。" F% i F3 L- G
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
, F& d+ Z! H. v+ h* O 拳击史上最引人注目的人物之一是丹尼尔.门多萨,他生于1764年。9 ^8 q, s. M7 T# ]. o/ v
353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.- n! k. N0 I) j0 K& p8 y
1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次为拳击比赛制定了规则,拳击比赛这才用上了手套。, u$ |- M: g" V$ h& ?
354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.
% ~, I3 Z% e2 V8 _: q 虽然门多萨严格来讲不过是个职业拳击手,但在把这种粗野的拳击变成一种体育运动方面,他作出了重大贡献。是他把科学引进了这项运动。1 C/ T5 `0 i' O9 z8 ]/ [
355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.( G5 U* N, B* o$ j: i8 f( |. Q
门多萨在的全盛时期深受大家欢迎,无论是富人还是穷人都对他祟拜备至。4 y* V: P6 D" N+ N, q; p5 c/ M
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.
# ]$ B. P5 u/ A% \- T* F# E6 r) b 门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。& i8 R7 j6 X) [$ C5 B
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
7 u) [) Y8 b; H1 q/ f 这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。8 n1 s4 r7 Y, V. M/ R. L. d1 Z# l
358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.* Z$ f: A' D' i- X; L' I6 a) ]) C
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。/ o) W" Z9 o5 [# w1 ^" P4 \
359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
+ \7 P2 `7 G: ?9 p6 S6 k% h* f 事实上,门多萨不久便名声大振,致使汉弗莱斯与他反目为敌。1 a3 Y6 S3 k( ?3 Y' K
360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
, x0 C% L: k- o 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
& T, U+ g0 N. U4 X/ r" g361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
/ h, E9 B* o, [ s 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
: `0 y `% R' O5 {6 {! ? `362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.* E! R+ ^8 }" h
公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
6 L5 L. l0 D' c' p363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.
% T6 B" J. `' W 后来,门多萨与汉弗莱斯再次在拳击场上较量,门多萨又输了一场。/ K- \6 @9 }6 c- z/ m! V
364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England., \' ~0 B2 d- F# y+ }
直到1790年他们第3次对垒,门多萨才终于击败汉弗莱斯,成了全英拳击冠军。2 G& i* ~6 k) b9 u( W& `' ` a
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.8 |! l0 v$ `, C* @" _& K9 U
同时,他建立了一所拳击学校,办得很成功,连拜伦勋爵也成了他的学生。
, u1 i' D) W* q) E3 _6 ?. r7 L& b366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.) p6 d' q! R% W8 i' x* u
门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
" B! h" D6 F a9 j: @367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.
) r. G( {( w) H, Y0 P 尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。
! x& n* e; J$ P/ Q368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten., j2 [& d, A: k n9 @& V$ G) d
他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
4 g3 l1 Z+ l( D( Z- o0 R369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
) V/ p- L9 D* x& E8 Y, N; r 他因无力还债而被捕入狱,最后于1836年在贫困中死去。 |
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